More than 7,000 people signed a petition calling for "thoughtless idiot" Alex Dyke to be taken off the air after he said that breastfeeding is "unnatural" and a throwback to the Stone Age. A BBC spokeswoman said tonight: "Following unacceptable comments made on air yesterday, Alex Dyke has been suspended pending an investigation, so he will not be on air tomorrow." During his 10am show on BBC Radio Solent yesterday, Mr Dyke went on a rambling rant about breastfeeding, claiming it was no more acceptable a thing to do in public than having sex. He said: "It is 2015. Ladies, mums, we don't like breastfeeding in public, honestly we don't. I experienced this yesterday. I was on a bus and there was a lady on this bus. "She was quite a big girl and she had a toddler with her. She starts to breastfeed her baby on the bus. I didn't know where to look. She's putting me in an embarrassing situation. "I didn't really realise what was going on. I just thought she was cuddling a baby and then I looked over and I realised. I wanted to look away but the bus was packed." Oblivious to the fact his comments were offending thousands of listeners, he continued: "Breastfeeding is unnatural. I know its natural but it's kind of unnatural. It's the kind of thing which should be done in a quiet and private nursery. "We don't want it in public. It was OK in the Stone Age when we knew no better and people didn't even have their own teeth. A public area is not the place for it. It's not a great look. "Making love is the most natural thing in the world but you wouldn't do it on the number 15. I blame the Earth-mothers, the ones who wear hessian." His comments sparked a petition on the website change.org which has already been signed by more than 7,000 people. It was started by Maisie Jameson, who wrote: "There is already a stigma around breastfeeding, and we don't need ill educated mysoginists like Alex Dyke to make it even more apparent. "In fact he was right. We're not in the Stone Age anymore - we're in the 21st century. Breastfeeding is completely natural, and people must remember that breasts are for feeding - not for men." Andie Mordin, from Surrey, who signed the petition, said: "It is not acceptable for public figures to continue to trash-talk breastfeeding mothers and raise negative public opinion towards them. "I hope this thoughtless idiot is sacked for his revolting comments." Alycya Taylor from Witney, in Oxfordshire, added: "I am offended and disgusted at the demeaning language he uses to describe breastfeeding mothers and women in general. "His uneducated views could have a detrimental impact on women who struggle feeding in public." Meanwhile Emma Kirby posted on Twitter: "Another moron with misogynistic views about breastfeeding on the radio. Get rid of this idiot!" The show is currently unavailable on the BBC iPlayer radio website. There have been a number of controversies in recent months surrounding the treatment of breastfeeding mothers in public. One school was criticised when a student's artwork depicting a baby being breastfed was removed by teachers because they feared it would offend Muslims. In June Gardener's World presenter Rachel de Thame revealed that she had to scale down her duties after she was banned from breastfeeding at the Chelsea Flower Show. And at the end of last year luxury London hotel Claridge's came under fire after staff asked Louise Burns - the wife of actor Nick Burns - to cover herself up with a napkin whilst breastfeeding her baby daughter.
UK Express.
No comments:
Post a Comment